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Hybrid Buses
Students learn about hybrid electric buses and evaluate the economic and environmental advantages and disadvantages of such vehicles.
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Grade Level:
n Primary n Elementary
Subject Areas:
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Hybrid Buses
Hybrid Buses
Table of Contents
Kentucky has the largest hybrid electric school bus fleet in the nation with 170 in operation. The Kentucky Clean Fuels Coalition, a 501 (c)(3) organization, proposed the project to the U.S. Department of Energy. A $13 million grant was awarded and is administered by the U.S. Department of Education. This grant offsets the purchase price of the hybrid system and enables school districts to improve fuel efficiency by an average of 34%. With the addition of these materials, this project also provides students with the opportunity to learn about what it means to engage in energy conscious behaviors and how these choices are already having a positive effect in their own communities.
Correlations to National Science Education Standards Teacher Guide Introduction to Energy and Transportation Educating Others About Hybrid Electric School Buses Kentucky Hybrid Bus Districts Map Student Backgrounder School Bus Hunt School Bus Hunt Compare and Contrast School Bus Comparison Icons School Bus Comparison Facts Elementary School Bus Math Hybrid School Bus Connections Teaching Others About Hybrid Electric School Buses Glossary Evaluation Form
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All photographs in this guide have been printed with the permission of the Kentucky Clean Fuels Coalition.
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Electricity in circuits can produce light, heat, sound, and magnetic effects. Electrical circuits require a complete loop through which an electrical current can pass.
Changes in Environments
Changes in environments can be natural or influenced by humans. Some changes are good, some are bad, and some are neither good nor bad. Pollution is a change in the environment that can influence the health, survival, or activities of organisms, including humans.
Hybrid Buses
K-3
Objects are made of one or more materials such as paper, wood, and metal. Objects can be described by the properties of the materials from which they are made. Those properties and measurements of the objects can be used to separate or classify objects or materials. Objects have many observable properties such as size, mass, shape, color, temperature, magnetism, and the ability to interact and/or to react with other substances. Some properties can be measured using tools such as metric rulers, balances, and thermometers.
Grade 5
A substance has its own set of properties which allows it to be distinguished from other substances.
K-3
Energy makes things move, grow or work. Everything that changes uses energy to make those changes happen. Sometimes evidence of these changes can be seen, but not always. Electricity can only flow when it has a closed path (circuit) to follow. Closed electric circuits can produce light and sound.
Grade 4
Electrical energy can be used for a variety of purposes. Many electrical systems share some common features, including a source of energy, a closed conducting path and a device that performs a function by utilizing that energy. Energy can be classified as kinetic or potential. Energy is a property of many substances and energy can be found in several different forms. For example, chemical energy as found in food we eat or in the gasoline we burn in our car. Heat, light (solar), sound, electrical energy and the energy associated with motion (called kinetic energy) are examples of other forms of energy. Objects can have energy simply by virtue of their position, called potential energy. Energy is transferred in many ways. Analyzing simple systems can provide the basis for describing the transfer of energy. Electrical circuits provide a means of transferring electrical energy. This transfer can be observed and described as heat, light, sound, and magnetic effects are produced. Models and diagrams can be used to support conclusions and predict consequences of change within an electrical circuit.
Grade 5
Grade 4
People impact their environment in both beneficial and harmful ways. Some of these impacts can be predicted, while others cannot.
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Teacher Guide
Grade Level
Primary Elementary
Students learn about hybrid electric buses and evaluate the economic and environmental advantages and disadvantages of such vehicles.
Background
School buses are the safest method of transporting students to and from school. Using hybrid electric school buses allows schools to capitalize on a technology that improves emissions from buses while decreasing fuel and maintenance costs.
Time
Each activity has its own time requirements that range from 15 minutes to three 45-minute class periods.
Preparation
1. Review the activities and determine which ones your students will be completing. The activities are divided into three sections. It is suggested that at least one activity is completed from each section. Make copies of student worksheets as needed for those activities. 2. Contact your school district transportation manager or energy manager. Discuss the unit and any activities that would benefit from his/her participation. Request bus data and route information, if needed. Request buses to come to the school for a tour, if needed. 3. Familiarize yourself with the Kentucky Clean Fuels Coalitions web site (http://www. kentuckycleanfuels.org/resources/hybridhorsepower.htm). The web site describes Hybrid Horsepower for KY schools and allows viewers to find helpful data and compare it to other districts. 4. Make copies of the student backgrounder for each student. 5. Review the Kentucky Hybrid Bus Districts Map, and make copies or project for students as needed during activities.
Web Resources
www.Kentuckycleanfuels.org www.eaton.com --Seach Kentucky www.thomasbus.com www.icbus.com
Hybrid Buses
Section 1
Time
30-60 minutes (older students will have time divided over two days)
Materials
Chart paper or science notebooks Copies of student-developed questionnaire
Preparation
Determine if your school district has policies in place that govern transportation, for example, a policy may be in place to determine how students are included in bus routes.
Procedure
1. Ask students to brainstorm the various ways they can travel to and from school. Be sure they include personal vehicles, school buses, public transportation systems, and non-fuel modes of transportation such as bikes, skateboards, and walking. 2. Gather data. 3. For younger students, poll the class to determine the number of students that travel by each mode of transportation. 4. For older students, develop a questionnaire as a class to gather data from other students in the school. Make copies and have students distribute and gather the questionnaire data during homeroom or science class the next day. 5. Graph the data. 6. For younger students, draw a class graph using chart paper. 7. For older students, allow them to compile the data and then determine the best type of graph to present the information in their science notebooks. 8. Discuss reasons why the data looks the way it does. If your school district has policies that may impact student travel, such as students that live within one mile of school are not included in bus routes, be sure to factor that into the discussion.
Extensions
1. Download the primary activity, Transport Sort, from www.NEED.org/newsletters using the November 2007 link under Energy Exchange. 2. Have students poll their parents about how they typically traveled to and from school when they were the same age as the student. Graph the data. Compare to student data. Make sure to discuss how far parents traveled to school and what determined how they got to and from school. 3. Have students create an online survey about modes of transportation used by students within their district. Graph the data and compare.
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Time
45 Minutes
Materials
Hybrid electric school bus, traditional school bus, and bus driver Science notebooks or copies of the student worksheets Student backgrounder
Preparation
Secure access to a hybrid electric school bus and a traditional school bus by contacting your school districts energy or transportation manager. Ask the school bus driver to prepare a short tour of each bus. If you choose to use the worksheets, make one copy of the student worksheets on pages 18 and 19 for each student.
Procedure
1. Tour the traditional school bus inside and out, including the engine. Have the driver start the bus so students may hear the engine and see the tailpipe. Repeat the tour for the hybrid electric school bus. Allow students time to ask the driver questions. Each exploration should take 1015 minutes to complete. If the students cannot complete all of the explorations in one class period, set up a schedule for the students that coordinates with the availability of the bus driver. 2. School Bus Hunt Primary: Instruct the students to look at either bus and point to something round. Have the bus driver help students name the round objects they find. Discuss what makes each round object different (tires are big and black, screws are small and silver). Discuss what each round object is made of (tiresrubber, screwsmetal). Repeat for other properties, such as hard, large, black, square, and shiny. Elementary: Pass out the worksheet School Bus Hunt or instruct students to create a three-column chart in their science notebooks with the labels Objects, Properties, and Materials. Have students list the objects they observed on each bus in the proper column. Then discuss what they noticed about the objects. For example, the mirrors are round and shiny. Have students list the attributes of each object in the Properties column. Instruct students to finish the chart by filing in what material each object is made of in the Materials column. If students are unsure about an object, encourage them to ask the bus driver. 3. Have students draw comparisons between the two buses. Use chart paper or science notebooks to make a list of observations. Direct students to make a graphic organizer to list their comparisons or use the Venn diagram on page 19. When the students are done discussing similarities and differences, ask the bus driver if he/she has any to add. 4. Bring the students back inside and read the nonfiction text. Have students recall when the text compared traditional and hybrid electric buses. Discuss similarities and differences from the text. Compare observations students made during tours of the buses to those in the text. Direct students to refer to their graphic organizer or tables and add any similarities or differences.
Extensions
1. Ask the bus driver to prepare a short (2-5 minute) presentation about the responsibilities of a bus driver. 2. Sing The Wheels on the Bus but change the verses to reflect the objects and properties students observed. For example, the tires on the bus are big and black. 3. Make a bar graph of the number of objects made of each type of material found on the bus.
Hybrid Buses
Section 2
Time
30-45 Minutes
Materials
Student backgrounder Copies of the student worksheets Large construction paper Art supplies Glue
Preparation
Prepare one copy of the School Bus Comparison Icons (page 20) and one copy of the School Bus Comparison Facts (page 21) for each student.
Procedure
1. Students can work in groups or individually. 2. Ask students to cut out and color the bus icons and paste them onto a sheet of construction paper, labeling each bus as hybrid or traditional. 3. Have students cut out each fact on the dotted line. Students should organize and place the facts under or around the correct bus icon. Once students are sure the facts are correctly matched, they should glue them down to their page. 4. Direct students to create a title for their page or decorate it if they like. 5. Depending on the level of the students in the class, you can help students organize the facts before gluing, pre-cut and organize the facts, or you can direct students to scramble the facts for a greater challenge before beginning.
Extension
1. Have students add their own facts from their surveys and interviews with others during the School Bus Hunt activity. 2. Have students color code or organize facts based on whether they consider them to be an advantage or disadvantage.
Time
15 minutes
Materials
Copies of the student worksheet
Preparation
Make one copy of the student worksheet on page 22 for each student.
Procedure
1. Pass out the worksheets to each student. Circulate as needed.
Extension
1. Request fuel economy and route data from your transportation manager to use in the word problems.
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Section 3
Time
45-60 minutes
Materials
Student backgrounder Copies of the student worksheet Art supplies
Preparation
Make a copy of the student worksheet (page 23) for each student. Have a list of important facts or vocabulary learned in the unit displayed for students to use. Idea: Create a word wall to highlight and keep track of important vocabulary as you go.
Procedure
1. Have students fill in who they would like to share their picture with (examples could include: family members, neighbors, principals, etc.) and write their name in the blank. 2. Students will decorate and use the bus picture to label or write out the important information they have learned about hybrid buses. Encourage students to use the important vocabulary on your list. Older or more advanced students could even write a short letter on the page. 3. Direct students to share with their family member/neighbor/principal.
Extension
1. Have students display their pages around the school.
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Hybrid Buses
Time
60-135 minutes, divided over two to three days
Materials
Student backgrounder Copies of the student worksheets
Preparation
Make a copy of the student worksheets on pages 24-25 for each student.
Procedure
1. Pass out the student worksheet. Review and discuss with students new and important vocabulary they have learned during the course of the unit. Ensure students have the correct understanding of each word. Make a class list of words to include in the project. Idea: create a word wall as you go to highlight and keep track of important vocabulary as you go. 2. Explain that students will write a letter to inform their parents about the hybrid electric bus or buses in the school district. Review letterwriting style and format as needed. Remind students to appropriately include vocabulary words. Students may use the bottom of the worksheet to organize information they plan to include in the letter. 3. Allow students time to work on their letter. 4. Have each student read their letter to the class or share with a small group.
Extensions
1. Have students take their letters home and discuss with their parents. 2. Have students create a display to show what they have learned. Display at parent or community events like a science fair or parents night.
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Teacher Guide
Evaluation
Evaluate individual student performance using student worksheets and science notebooks. Evaluate the entire unit with your students using the Evaluation Form on page 27 and fax to The NEED Project at 800-847-1820 or mail to The NEED Project, P.O. Box 10101, Manassas, VA 20108.
Answer Keys
School Bus Comparison
Take students to and from schoolHybrid and Traditional Uses diesel fuel onlyTraditional Uses diesel fuel and an electric motorHybrid Creates less pollutionHybrid Costs less to buyTraditional QuieterHybrid Uses less fuelHybrid
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Hybrid Buses
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Crittenden
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Introduction
Students have been sharing rides to school for a long time. At first school buses werent even buses! Students used to get to school on horse-drawn carriages. Over the years, school buses eventually became the yellow and black vehicles we are so familiar with. Today there are over 680,000 school buses that carry 26 million students safely to and from school each day.
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Hybrid Buses
Fuel
Every year one school bus can travel 12,000 miles or more! Most buses use diesel fuel, a fuel made from petroleum. Diesel and other petroleum products must be burned to create energy. The United States imports almost half of the petroleum it uses to power vehicles like buses. The cost of fuel can often be a big expense for schools because most traditional buses get very poor mileage. Sometimes buses will only be able to travel seven miles or less on each gallon of fuel. While most schools use traditional diesel buses, some are switching their buses to hybrid electric buses.
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Spark
Traditional diesel buses run with the help of something called an internal combustion engine. The chemical energy in the fuel is released as it is burned. This gives the bus motion energy and allows the wheels to turn. When the fuel is burned, it creates gases called emissions. Some of these gases can be bad for the environment and our health. Engineers have been working hard to make diesel fuel cleaner and better for our environment. Aside from creating more pollution, traditional diesel buses are less expensive to buy than hybrid buses, but sometimes require more maintenance.
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Fuel Injector Exhaust Valve Compression and Combustion Air Intake Piston
Oil
Hybrid Buses
Inverter
Motor/Generator
Batteries
Transmission
Hybrid electric buses also use an internal combustion engine. They are different because they use a much smaller engine than traditional buses. What else do they use? Hybrid electric buses also use an electric motor and battery. The battery stores energy when the bus uses its brakes. It saves the energy and the engine can use it whenever it needs it. This is called regenerative braking. Traditional buses do not have this, so they use more fuel than hybrid buses do. Hybrid buses use less fuel, so that means they also make less pollution. Hybrid buses are more expensive to buy, but they do require less maintenance and are quieter in your neighborhoods. Be on the lookout for more hybrid school buses on the road!
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TRADITIONAL
Objects
Properties
Materials
HYBRID
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Hybrid Buses
Traditional Bus
Hybrid Bus
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Hybrid Buses
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2. Jefferson School District uses a hybrid electric bus for a route that uses 105 gallons of diesel each month and a traditional bus for a route that uses 130 gallons each month. The cost of fuel is $3.87 per gallon. How much does fuel cost for each bus for one month?
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Hybrid Buses
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Hybrid Buses
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Glossary
diesel fuel emissions hybrid electric vehicle (HEV) idling internal combustion engine (ICE) miles per gallon (MPG) petroleum regenerative braking a petroleum product used in diesel engines gaseous products of combustion, some are pollutants a vehicle that is powered by 2 or more fuels, one of which is electricity when an engine is running but is not in motion. An idling vehicle still emits pollution and uses fuel. an engine in which a fuel is burned within the chamber, creating motion the distance a vehicle can travel on one gallon of fuel, also referred to as mileage a fossil fuel that can be refined to produce many products, including gasoline, diesel, and plastics converts wasted energy from braking into electricity that can then be stored in a battery
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Hybrid Buses
1. Did you conduct the entire unit? 2. Were the instructions clear and easy to follow? 3. Did the activities meet your academic objectives? 4. Were the activities age appropriate? 5. Were the allotted times sufficient to conduct the activities? 6. Were the activities easy to use? 7. Was the preparation required acceptable for the activities? 8. Were the students interested and motivated? 9. Was the energy knowledge content age appropriate? 10. Would you teach this unit again? Please explain any no statement below. How would you rate the unit overall? How would your students rate the unit overall?
excellent excellent
good good
fair fair
poor poor
Other Comments:
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